When you set your mind to accomplish something, how effective are you in staying committed to achieve it?

The reality for many small business owners is that they are not committed enough!

I am a fan of survival shows. One day I was watching Man, Woman, Wild with former US Army Special Forces survival expert Mykel Hawke and his television journalist wife Ruth England.

Mykel was talking about the importance of focusing on the mission.

Many businesses develop a mission statement. But, what Hawke was talking about is different.

There is a mindset used in the military to focus on the mission.

What does that mean? It means to be focused on one goal and to take every action necessary to accomplish that goal. The key there is to select one goal and only one goal.

In a survival situation, that might be to self-rescue. In other words, to find a way out and a way back to civilization.

On the show Dual Survival, Army Veteran Dave Canterbury teams up with Primitive Living Expert Cody Lundin. Their methods often conflict, but they usually find a way to work together to survive.

On one episode, Dave said the Army’s motto is, “Improvise, Adapt and Overcome.” I have also heard that phrase attributed to the Marines.

It’s a mindset that allows you to overcome any challenge or obstacle.

Think about it, when you are in the battlefield, you have limited resources. You have to make do with what you have.

It reminds me of the TV show MacGyver. In every episode, MacGyver had to come up with a solution with the limited resources he had (which by the way, usually involved making a bomb.)

Here are 3 Valuable Lessons to Remember:

1. Identify the one goal that is going to move your business forward

Once you identify that one goal, then focus your time, energy and efforts on accomplishing it. Avoid distractions. Focus on the mission. Put other things on the back burner and keep making progress on your primary goal.

2. Stay Flexible in your Approach

You might make a plan, but if the plan doesn’t work, you may need to make adjustments. You may need to fine-tune your approach. Keep innovating. Learn best practices. Test and measure.

3. Overcome Obstacles

Does it ever seem that just when you start making progress, something comes up that stands in the way of progress?

That’s called an obstacle. It’s part of life and it’s part of business.

One of the keys to overcoming obstacles is to maintain a positive attitude. Your mindset is critical to being able to think your way through the problems you face.

Develop the skill of being a problem solver. You don’t need to find the ideal solution. You need to find a solution.

So, whether you are in a survival situation or in your business, focus on the mission. Keep your eye on the goal. And when obstacles come up, improvise, adapt and overcome.

Rick Cooper
Online Marketing and Social Media Trainer